Lytham Hall Park Primary School

Lytham Hall Park Primary South Park, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, FY8 4QU

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  All groups of pupils make good progress. They achieve well because the school makes all pupils feel valued and provides a wide range of support activities.  The school has a focus on raising pupils’ achievement. The determination of leaders is ensuring that pupils’ progress is accelerating.  Teaching is good and some is outstanding in both Key Stages 1 and 2. Teachers build strong relationships with pupils and this has a positive effect on pupils’ willingness to work hard.  Teachers create many opportunities for pupils to strengthen their writing across other subjects. Pupils and teachers make good use of information and communication technology (ICT).  Pupils say they enjoy school. Their behaviour in lessons is first class.  Robust systems are in place to check the quality of teaching. Pupils’ progress is checked regularly and leaders and managers use this information to identify pupils who may need

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

additional support.  The governing body is active in checking the performance of the school. It works closely with staff to make sure that the school develops and improves.  The curriculum is enriched by a wide range of extra activities and clubs. Music, including singing, is a strength and enjoyed by pupils throughout the school. These experiences help to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils’ mathematical skills are not used regularly in different subjects.  Pupils do not have enough opportunities to do their own work because teachers often talk too long to the whole class.  Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly but do not consistently tell pupils what they have to learn next or give them enough time to check and respond to the comments.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 11 teachers and visited 18 lessons, which included a joint lesson observation with the acting headteacher.  Discussions were held with the acting headteacher, English and mathematics subject leaders, the special educational needs coordinators, pupils, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors observed pupils’ work and listened to pupils read.  A range of the school’s documentation was examined, including the school’s analysis of how well it is doing, documents relating to monitoring and evaluation, systems for tracking pupils’ progress, documents regarding safeguarding and key policies.  The inspectors took account of responses to the school’s most recent questionnaire for parents and 47 responses from the online questionnaire (Parent View). 20 questionnaires completed by staff were analysed.

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Inspection team

Sue Sharkey, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Desmond Stubbs Additional Inspector Pamela Davenport Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Lytham Hall Park Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils attending the school are from White British heritage, with a few pupils from minority ethnic groups as well as a few who speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below the national average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below the national average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is below average. (The pupil premium is additional government funding provided for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and children that are looked after by the local authority.)  An acting headteacher and acting deputy headteacher have been in post since 1 April 2013. The new headteacher is due to commence on 1 June 2013.

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Information about this school

 The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  There is a breakfast club and an after-school club which are not managed by the governing body. These are subject to separate inspections and reports of their quality are available on the Ofsted website.  The school has a number of external awards including Artsmark Gold, Sing Up and International Schools awards as well as the Lancashire Race Equality Mark.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching to consistently outstanding by:  ensuring that pupils quicken their progress in mathematics by developing their skills more practically through solving ‘real-life’ problems across a range of subjects  reducing the time spent by teachers talking to the whole class in order to give pupils more time to try things out for themselves  ensuring that there are more opportunities for pupils to work independently to consolidate and develop their learning and to challenge pupils aiming for the higher levels even further  making sure that when teachers mark pupils’ work in mathematics they give clear points consistently about how it can be improved, and allow pupils time to respond.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage children have many opportunities to use both the indoor and outdoor areas where they enjoy learning together, sharing ideas and exploring friendships. For example, a group of boys enjoyed counting as they shook the dice to find out who would reach the castle first. They cooperated with each other very well as they happily took turns.  Children start school with skills that are in line with what is expected for their age. They make good progress and are well prepared to enter Year 1. This good progress continues through Key Stages 1 and 2 for pupils of all abilities and backgrounds. By the end of Year 6 attainment is above average, and sometimes significantly above, in English and mathematics.  Although last year’s results for Year 6 pupils in mathematics were not as good as in English, the trend is changing. Due to accelerated learning recent assessments indicate that national tests for

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The achievement of pupils is good

Year 6 in 2013 will show a rise in achievement in mathematics as more pupils are making better than expected progress. However, pupils do not get enough time to work independently in order to be further challenged, especially pupils who are aspiring to the higher levels.  All parents who responded to Parent View agree that their children are making good progress.  Pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals make good progress. Pupils eligible for pupil premium funding, while few in number, receive extra help from teachers and support staff, enabling them to make good progress. Attainment for these pupils is the same as for other groups.  There is good support, often from well-trained teaching assistants, for pupils who are disabled and those who have special educational needs. This helps them to make good progress in English and mathematics. Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and those who speak English

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The achievement of pupils is good

as a second language also make good progress because of the effective support they receive.  In a Year 2 mathematics lesson pupils worked as a whole class as well as in groups. Pupils enjoyed the challenge of taking turns to throw beanbags into hoops marked as tens or units. They worked out the total in each hoop as well as the final total, with different groups using resources effectively. The activity extended to pupils writing number sentences and talking together well about how they found the answers. This practical approach to reinforcing concepts in mathematics was very effective. However, pupils’ learning in mathematics is not always as effective.  Pupils from the Early Years Foundation Stage through to Year 6 are keen readers, reading regularly at home. The teaching of letters and sounds is good, helping younger children to work out quickly new words so that the flow of reading is well maintained. As pupils move through the

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The achievement of pupils is good

school they talk confidently about characters in their books and start to develop favourite authors. Year 6 pupils talk positively about their preference for different styles of books.  In order to ensure that the progress of boys’ writing is always as good as girls’ writing the school has introduced different activities. For example, a group of Year 2 pupils are paired with boys in Year 5 to extend their learning further and improve their progress. The school has a strong link with a school in Zambia and the current joint project is based on traditional stories. This is providing pupils with opportunities to use their skills to write stories to share with their friends in Africa. The school is pleased with the improvements in pupils’ writing.  A wide range of good-quality writing is displayed throughout the school. Teachers make sure that writing is woven successfully through other subjects. However, this practice is not yet

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The achievement of pupils is good

established with mathematics. As a result, pupils do not get enough opportunities to use their mathematical skills in different subjects.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils make good progress because teaching is consistently good and sometimes outstanding. Strong features of teaching in all lessons include the relationships teachers have with pupils as well as the relationships pupils have with each other. Teachers are proficient in planning lessons that grab pupils’ attention and fire their enthusiasm. Their strong subject knowledge, skilful questioning and the practical activities they plan ensure that pupils are actively involved in lessons. Teachers seize on opportunities for pupils to talk together with partners, or in small groups, to extend their speaking and listening skills.  In a Year 6 lesson pupils were using ICT to find out what authors used to portray settings and characters in stories. Skilful questioning was used to make pupils think harder, extend their thinking and use new and more complex vocabulary. Pupils worked together extremely effectively through sharing their ideas.

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The quality of teaching is good

 While books are marked regularly, there is some inconsistency in teachers’ marking of pupils’ work in mathematics in how often teachers include comments that tell pupils how to improve their work. Pupils are not given enough time to think about the comments and respond.  Although the pace of learning is brisk, too much time can be spent by teachers talking to the whole class. This reduces the time pupils have to learn by carrying out their work.  Skilled teaching assistants support the work of teachers very well. They are particularly helpful when leading small groups within the whole-class lesson, but they also deliver sessions out of lessons.  Teaching is enhanced by classrooms that are very well resourced and supportive to pupils’ learning. Lessons are characterised by a positive climate for learning, a strong sense of purpose and a determination by pupils that they want to learn.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are extremely keen to learn. They have very positive attitudes to work, strongly contributing to their good achievement. They work very well together and enjoy sharing ideas. Behaviour in lessons and around school is extremely good. During break times pupils are very friendly and are respectful and courteous to each other.  Pupils enjoy school, which is why attendance is high.  Pupils say bullying is rare. They say that any specific incidents are talked about in the classroom. They have opportunities to find out about how to deal with different kinds of bullying, such as cyber-bullying, throughout the year and during specific anti-bullying weeks and special assemblies. Mentoring plays a key role in supporting the strong school ethos.  A large majority of parents who responded to Parent View are happy with the way that the school deals with bullying but a very small minority are not. This is why behaviour and safety are

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

not outstanding.  Pupils take pride in their work and in their school; they say they feel safe because there is a calm atmosphere in school and pupils look after each other.  The school council is keen to see the school improve. It is pleased that the school has taken up its suggestion of new equipment for the playground.

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The leadership and management are good

 The acting headteacher is well supported by the acting deputy headteacher and senior leaders. Together they lead a strong team of staff and, with the governing body, they are ambitious for the school. They are focused on raising pupils’ achievement and improving teaching.  All staff share the same vision for the school and are committed to improving it. They work very well as a team. Through targets set in performance management of their work they take advantage of various forms of training, often as a whole school. Recent training in the teaching of letters and sounds has helped to develop the teaching of reading further.  Senior leaders check the quality of teaching on a regular basis. For example, English and mathematics subject leaders observe lessons and check pupils’ books so that they ‘can keep an eye’ on the progress that pupils are making. Actions to help pupils’ progress improve feed into

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The leadership and management are good

the whole-school development plan. Procedures to check the performance of teachers are robust and the school is careful to reward teachers who meet their targets.  The school has a good partnership with the local authority. In recent years it has recognised that the school has needed little support. However, it has been involved in checking the quality of teaching, as well as the appointment of the new headteacher.  Teachers promote equality of opportunity well and ensure that there is no discrimination. This can be seen in the good progress made by all groups of pupils.  The curriculum is wide and varied and well tailored to meet the many needs of pupils. It enriches pupils’ experiences through many visitors, clubs and visits, such as to the theatre or museums. Year 6 pupils have an opportunity to take part in a residential visit to the Lake District while other year groups visit the local zoo or a nature reserve. The curriculum is well organised

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The leadership and management are good

so that pupils’ skills are developed through making strong links between different subjects. This broadens their horizons and inspires them to learn. It promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Music is a great strength, particularly singing.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is well led. It has an astute knowledge of the school as governors have specific responsibilities and are well trained. Governors are regular visitors to the school. They play a key role in checking the performance of the school through working closely with leaders and staff and, in doing so, challenge the school regularly. Safeguarding arrangements meet requirements. Management of the school’s finance is rigorous. Governors check how pupil premium funding is allocated and its effect on pupils’ progress. They also monitor staff appraisal and the movement of teaching staff up the salary scale in order to further pupils’

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 119315 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 413202

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 300 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Steve Mason Headteacher Jane Curl Date of previous school inspection 5 February 2009 Telephone number 01253 738864 Fax number 01253 732529 Email address enquiries@hallpark.lancs.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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